Former minister of economic development Basil, Rajapaksa and former director general of the Divi Neguma Department, Kithsiri Ranawaka were released under strict bail conditions on Thursday.

They were released after being produced before Colombo High Court Judge Padmini N. Ranawaka.

Basil Rajapaksa and Kithsiri Ranawaka were charged with using Rs.20 million  of the Divi Neguma Department to print and distribute five million pictures of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa during the previous presidential election.

Court ordered the two defendants to pay a cash bail of Rs.500,000 each and five million rupees each as personal bail. Court also ordered that the fingerprints of the defendants be recorded, and their overseas travel be banned, and that the Katunayake and Mattala International Airports as well as State Intelligence Units, be notified of this order.

Court also cautioned that should the defendants threaten any of the witnesses, they would be placed under remand custody.

The case will be taken up again on June 22.

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